Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-06
The Haunted Chamber
BY THE DUCHESS"

round the caStI6-Wnlcn nave, alas,
grown only too dear to her!-DOra en-
tiers her room. 1t is an embarrassed
and significantly smiling Dora that
trips up to her, and says with pretty
hesitation IN her tone
dearest Florence, [ want your adj
vice about something"
"Minep eXclaimS Florence, laying
down her brush, and looking, as she
feels, astOniShed. AS rule, the gentle
Dora does not seek for wisdom from
her friends.
Eyes, dear, if you can spare me the
time. Just five minutes will do, and
then you can return to your charming
sketch. Oh"-glancing at it-'hoW eX-
actly like it $50 perfect; what sun
set, and what frs! One could imagine
ones self in the Fairies Glen by just
looking at it,"
ut is not the Fairies Glen at all; it
is that bit down by Coughs farm" says
Florence cOldly. OF late she has not
been so blind to DOra7s artifcialneSS as
she used to be.
"Ah, so it isl" agrees Dora airily, not
in the least diScOmpOSed at her mis-
take. "And so like it too. You are
genius, dearest, you are really, and
might make your fortune, only that
you have one made already for you,
fortunate girl!
''You want my advice" suggests
Florence quietly.
"Ah, true; and about something i'm
portant tool" She throws into her
whole air so much cOquetrY mingled
with assumed bashfulness that Flor
ence knows by instinct that the some
thing" has Sir Adrian for it's theme,
and she grows pale and miserable &C
cordingly.
"Let me hear it then" she urges,
leaning back with weary sigh,
II have just received this letter." says
Mrs. Talbot, taking from her pocket
the letter Arthur had given her, and
holding it out to Florence, Il want to
know how [ shall answer it. Would
yOU-WOuld you honestly advise me,
Flo, to go and meet him as he desires"
"As who deSireSp
"Ah, true; you do not know, Of
counsel am so selfshly full Of myself
think every one else must be full Of
them too. Forgive me, dearest, and
read his sweet little letter, will yOuw
"Of whom are you speaking = to
whose letter do you refer? asks Flor
ence, little sharply, i'll the agony Of
her heart.
Florence! Whose letter would I call
sweet except Sir Adrian's" answers
her cousin, with gentle raprOach.
"But it is meant for you, not me"
says Miss Delmaine, holding the letter
in her hand, and glancing at it with
great diStaSte. lie probably intended
no other eyes but yours to look upon
it."
But must obtain advice from some
one, and who so natural to expect it
from as you, my nearest relative? If,
hOWeYer"-putting her handkerchief to
her eyeS-"yOu object to help me, Flor
ence, or if it diStre8ses you to read"
"DiStreSSeS mG?" interrupts Florence
haughtily. why should it distress me?
If you have no objection to my reading
yOur-lOyer SETTER, why should | hes
itate about doing so? Pray sit down
while [ run through it,"
Dora having seated herself, Florence
hastily reads the false note from be-
ginning to end. Her heart beats fu-
riOuSly as she does so, and her color
comes and goes; but her voice is quite
steady when she speaks again.
WELL" she says, putting the paper
from her as though glad to getrid of
it, ''it seems that Sir Adrian wishes to
speak to you on some subject interest
ing to you and him alone, and that
he has chosen the privacy of the lime
walk as the spot in which to hold your
tete-G-tete. 1t is quite simple affair, is
it not? Though really, why he could
not arrange to talk privately to you in
some room in the castle, which is sure
ly large enough for the purpose, [ can
not understand"
Dear Sir Adrian is so romantic, +"
says Dora COyly.
as hep" responds her cousin dryly.
He has always seemed to me the SAN
est of men. Well, on what matter do
you wish to consult me?"
Dear Florence, how terribly prosaic
and unsympathetic you are to-day"
says Dora reproachfully; "and I came
to you so sure of offers of love and
friendship [ want you to tell me if
you think ought to meet him Or not"
why nOt?"
"I don't know"-with a little shipper.
Us it perhaps humoring him too much?
have always dreaded letting q man
imagine [ cared for him, unless fully,
utterly, assured of his affection for
me-"
Florence colors again, and then grows
deadly pale, as this poisoned barb pier
ceS her bosom.
Il should think" she says slowly,
latter reading the letter you have just
shown me, you ought to feel assured"
you believe ought, really"-With
a fine show of eagerness. Nov, you
are not saying this to please me-to
crafty mep
Il should not please or crafty any
one at the expense of truth"
NO, of course not. You are such a
high-principled girl, so different from
many others. Then you think [ might
go and meet him this evening without
sacrificing my dignity in any Way?"
Certainly"
ooh, I'm so glad" exclaimed little
Mrs. Talbot rapturously, nodding her
honorable" head with a beaming
smile, because [ do so want to meet
him. dear fellowl And [ value your
opinion, Flo, more highly than that OF
any friend | possess. You are so solid
so thOughtful-such dear thing alto
gether"
Florence takes no heed of this rodom.
Ontade, but sits quite still, with down
cast eyes, tapping the small table near
her with the tips Of her slender fingers
in Il meditative fashion.
The fact is" continues Dora, who i!
watching her closely, I may as well le
you into a little secret. Yesterday Sn
Adrian and had tiny, Oh, such {
tiny little dispute, al about nothing,